The City of Boston and Urban Edge Celebrate the Grand Opening of 59 Bartlett Station

New 44-unit affordable rental development marks another milestone in the City of Boston's commitment to expanding housing opportunities

The Mayor's Office of Housing joined Urban Edge, Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, elected officials, residents, and community partners today to celebrate the grand opening of 59 Bartlett Station, which brings 44 new income-restricted rental homes to Roxbury. The development is part of the ongoing transformation of the Bartlett Station site, creating more affordable housing opportunities and helping residents remain in the neighborhood they call home.

"Bartlett Station has been years in the making, shaped by the ideas, determination, and commitment of Roxbury residents," said Sheila A. Dillon, Chief of Housing. "Transforming this property into a neighborhood with affordable homes, local businesses, and public spaces has required patience, persistence, and strong partnerships. The opening of Building 5 is another important step in fulfilling the vision that this community helped create, and we're proud to welcome 44 more households to Bartlett Station."

59 Bartlett Station builds on the long-term redevelopment of the Bartlett Station site, adding 44 affordable rental homes to a growing residential community. The redevelopment of Bartlett Station grew out of the Roxbury Strategic Master Plan, which identified the former 8.5-acre MBTA bus yard as an opportunity to create new housing and economic opportunities for residents. Beginning in the early 2000s, community members helped shape the project through public meetings, design workshops, and neighborhood planning committees. Their input influenced the development's mix of affordable and market-rate housing, public spaces, and opportunities for local businesses. The development team also worked with a community jobs monitoring committee to encourage local hiring and contracting. Following years of environmental cleanup and planning, construction began in 2017.

"59 Bartlett Station is a powerful example of what sustained, community-centered development can achieve," said Emilio Dorcely, CEO of Urban Edge and Executive Director of Nuestra Comunidad. "These homes will help create housing stability for residents while bringing new opportunity and community space to Roxbury. It is especially meaningful to celebrate this achievement as Urban Edge and Nuestra Comunidad move forward together. This project honors Nuestra's legacy in Roxbury and signals the strength of our shared future by continuing to protect affordability, supporting residents, and investing in our neighborhoods."

The development was made possible in part by funding from the Mayor's Office of Housing, Neighborhood Housing Trust, the City's Community Preservation Fund, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, MassHousing, CEDAC, MassSave, RBC Capital Markets, and JPMorgan Chase. These investments helped advance the project as part of the City's broader efforts to expand affordable housing and support community-based development.

"Community Preservation funding helps make projects like 59 Bartlett Station possible, creating affordable homes that will serve Boston residents for years to come," said Thadine Brown, Director of the Community Preservation Act Office. "The transformation of the Bartlett campus is a powerful example of how public investment can support affordable housing while contributing to the Roxbury community's continued strength and vitality. We are proud to partner with the City, Urban Edge, Nuestra Comunidad, and the many organizations that helped bring these 44 new affordable homes to completion."

"MassHousing is pleased to have been a partner in all five phases of the Bartlett Station redevelopment, and we are thrilled for the residents who have new, affordable apartment homes," said MassHousing CEO Chrystal Kornegay. "Congratulations to everyone involved in taking a former bus lot and creating a new mixed-income housing neighborhood in Roxbury."

Under Mayor Michelle Wu's leadership, Boston is moving forward with new homes across the city while expanding access to affordable housing and homeownership. Since Mayor Wu took office, nearly 40,000 homes have been completed, entered construction, or advanced into the development pipeline, including nearly 12,000 income-restricted homes. More than 16,700 homes are complete, and another 6,000 are under construction, with additional projects moving through the development pipeline. This progress includes more than 1,600 income-restricted homeownership opportunities, helping more Boston residents put down roots and build wealth in the neighborhoods they call home.

The Wu administration is also working to address Boston's housing needs from multiple angles, including creating homes on public land, converting underused buildings into housing, expanding affordable homeownership, preventing displacement, and supporting renters and homeowners facing housing instability. Through initiatives including the Housing Accelerator Fund, Welcome Home Boston, and Housing with Public Assets, the City is using public resources and new approaches to increase housing opportunities across Boston. Together, these efforts reflect the administration's commitment to making every Boston neighborhood a place where people at a range of incomes can find a home, put down roots, and build a future.

• Published by: Housing